“What happened?” I asked.
“You had a reaction to peanuts.”
I shook my head. “I’m diligent about not eating them since I was a kid.”
“Mr. McCready remembered eating them and then kissing you. He saved your life.”
Bear, oh dear God no. I could imagine the trouble he was in when I’d ended up here.
“I need to see him,” I said.
“He was taken away by Enforcement.”
I sat up. “I demand to see him, or I’m pulling this out of my arm and walking out of here. Do you want that to happen?”
“Wait here and I’ll see what I can do,” the nurse said.
*****
They must have slipped something into my drip to calm me down because I woke up slightly disorientated again but when I opened my eyes, Bear was by my side.
They’d obviously beaten him black and blue, his lip was cut and his eye swollen shut but to me, he still looked the most handsome male in the world. I lifted my hand to him, but they’d chained his hands to the collar around his neck. I wanted to cry.
“Hi, beautiful,” Bear said.
“What have they done to you?”
“Nothing I can’t handle. At least they let me come here to say goodbye to you. They’re shipping me out tomorrow. As a past offender, I don’t get another chance.”
“No, no, I won’t let them do that to you.”
He reached toward me, and our fingertips touched.
“We’ll run away together. Out of the county. I’ve heard there are sanctuaries that take werebears in,” I told him.
“Ali, I can’t let you give up all the life you have here just for me. How about your family and your job which I know you love,” Bear said.
“I’m your mate right?”
Bear nodded.
“Then we’re supposed to be together no matter what.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Ted knew what trouble he could be in, but he didn’t care. He helped Ali out of the hospital and then he and some of his friends broke me out of the Enforcement holding area. Ted traveled with us for two days. We hid in the woods, slept under the stars, and ate the food that Mabel had packed for us.
“Mabel’s going to miss you,” said Ted.
“I’m going to miss her too but one day when things settle down, you both can come see us.”
I put my arm around Ali who was shivering. I only hoped that there was someone in the sanctuary who could marry us. At least we wouldn’t need to fill out forms and get anyone’s permission.
“I promise I’ll take care of your house and business until you can come back. Bears will run Benningan County one of these days,” said Ted.
We packed up and continued to walk and there ahead we saw the arrow scratched into a rock just like we’d been told. Werebear Haven, sanctuary for every bear with no questions asked.
Ted threw his arms around me, and I thought he would never let go.
“Take care of yourself old friend and be sure to name your firstborn after me. Well, that is if it’s a boy.”
The three of us had tears in our eyes.
“Ms. Bixby, you take care too and look after this bad bear for me.”
“I will, and I know we’re going to see you again one of these days.”
Ted didn’t say another word. I knew he couldn’t. He simply turned and began to walk away.
I held Ali’s hand and slung our bags over my shoulder. We didn’t have much, just a few items of clothing and the copy of The Bird and the Cat. We’d vowed to read it every night and then do the same with our children. We walked another mile and then saw the entrance to the safe haven.
“This is our home for the rest of our lives,” I told Ali. “It’s not too late for you to change your mind.”
“You’re not getting rid of me that easily.” She pulled my hand. “Come on. What are you waiting for?”
I lifted her up in my arms and stepped across into an area Enforcement would no longer be able to hunt me down and take away the one thing I loved, my mate.
“What are you doing?” Ali asked.
“Carrying you over the threshold.”
The End.
About the Author
Vanessa Devereaux is the bestselling author of eight plus books, including Who’s the Boss, Cater to Me and Seduced by a Cowboy. Her favorite stories to write are historical erotica and ones featuring either bear shifters or cowboys. When she’s not writing, she’s teaching aspiring authors. You can find out more about Vanessa at her Web site, www.vanessadevereaux.com and follow her on Twitter @vandevereaux
Other Books by Vanessa Devereaux
Masters of Pleasure-Lord Finley
Masters of Pleasure-Lord Sandford
The Bear Next Door-Forbidden Shifters
The Boss-Fantasy LLC
Seduced by a Cowboy
Cater to Me
Upcoming Books by Vanessa Devereaux
Masters of Pleasure-James
Masters of Pleasure-Ian
Big Bad Bear-Forbidden Shifters
Bearing It All-Forbidden Shifters
Calum-Cowboy Tough
Sweet Seduction-Cowbear Haven
A Bear's Seduction (Forbidden Shifters Book 2) Page 6